United Kingdom dependent visa
In the UK there is no single 'family reunification permit'. If you want to join a relative already living there, you apply on the visa route that matches their status. A spouse, partner or child of someone on a Skilled Worker (or Health and Care Worker) visa applies as that person's dependant; the family of an eligible Student (in practice a PhD, doctoral or research student, or a government-sponsored student) applies as a student dependant; and the partner or child of a British or Irish citizen or someone with indefinite leave to remain (settled status) applies on the family visa. For Indian applicants the honest position is the same across all of them: there is no shortcut, and your permission to live in the UK is tied entirely to the sponsor. If their visa ends, so does yours.
The sponsor must hold a qualifying visa or settled status, and each family member submits their own online application on gov.uk. You cannot simply be added to someone else's grant. Where several relatives apply, a family linking code ties the applications to the main visa holder. From India you complete and pay for the application online, then attend a UK Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global to give your biometrics (fingerprints and a photograph); some applicants can instead verify identity through the UK Immigration: ID Check app. The final decision always rests with UK Visas and Immigration.
Who this visa is for
- ✓Spouse or civil partner of the UK-based sponsor, or an unmarried partner who can show at least 2 years of living together in a relationship akin to marriage.
- ✓Children under 18 at the date of application (children born in the UK, and some over-18s already in the UK as dependants, can also be included); where one parent joins, the other parent's consent or evidence of sole responsibility is usually needed.
- ✓The sponsor holds a qualifying status, meaning a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa, a qualifying Student visa (broadly, a PhD, doctoral or research student, or a government-sponsored student), or British/Irish citizenship or settled status (indefinite leave to remain).
- ✓A genuine, subsisting relationship, with both partners aged 18 or over and intending to live together in the UK.
- ✓Financial requirement: on the family (British/settled partner) route the couple must usually show a combined income of at least GBP 29,000 a year, or qualify through savings or an exemption; on work and study routes you instead show maintenance funds held in the bank for 28 days.
- ✓Adequate accommodation in the UK and, on the partner/family route, meeting the English language requirement.
Visa options for United Kingdom
Dependant of a Skilled Worker / Health and Care Worker
For the spouse, partner and children under 18 of someone on a Skilled Worker or Health and Care Worker visa. Dependants can work (except as a professional sportsperson or coach) and study, and the visa usually ends on the same date as the sponsor's.
Dependant of a Student
For the partner and children of a student, but only where the student is government-sponsored on a course longer than 6 months, or is studying a PhD, other doctoral qualification or research-based higher degree lasting 9 months or more. Since January 2024, students on taught master's courses can no longer bring dependants. The dependant's visa runs to the same end date as the student's.
Family visa - partner of a British or settled person
For the spouse, civil or unmarried partner of a British/Irish citizen or someone with settled status (indefinite leave to remain). Granted for 2 years and 9 months initially, then extendable, and it leads towards settlement after 5 years. The couple must meet the minimum income requirement.
Child joining a parent
A child under 18 can apply to join a parent who is in the UK on a work or study visa, or who is British or settled, provided the parent has care of the child and can support and accommodate them without relying on public funds.
Documents typically required
- ✓Valid Indian passport, plus any previous passports.
- ✓The sponsor's proof of UK immigration status: their visa, biometric residence permit or eVisa share code showing they are a Skilled Worker, student, or British/settled person.
- ✓Proof of relationship: marriage or civil partnership certificate, or evidence of at least 2 years living together for unmarried partners (joint tenancy, bills, bank statements).
- ✓Full birth certificate for each child naming both parents, plus consent letters or sole-responsibility evidence where one parent is not travelling.
- ✓Evidence of funds: bank statements showing the required maintenance money held for 28 consecutive days, or the sponsor's income evidence (payslips, employment letter) on the family visa route.
- ✓Tuberculosis (TB) test certificate from a Home Office-approved clinic in India, required for stays of 6 months or more.
- ✓English language test certificate at the required level, where applicable on the partner/family route.
- ✓Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS) payment confirmation.
- ✓Proof of accommodation in the UK, such as a tenancy agreement or property details.
- ✓Passport-size photographs and biometric enrolment at the visa application centre.
Your exact checklist depends on your profile — we confirm it during your case analysis. Every visa decision rests with the embassy or consulate.
In India, the application is made online on gov.uk first: you complete the form, pay the visa fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge, then verify your identity either through the UK Immigration: ID Check app or by booking a biometrics appointment at a UK Visa Application Centre run by VFS Global, UKVI's official partner in India. Centres operate in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Pune and several other cities. You attend in person to give your fingerprints and photograph, and you upload or hand over your supporting documents. Each family member files a separate application, linked to the sponsor using a family linking code, and no one can attend the biometrics appointment on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Do you guarantee the visa?
No. The decision rests solely with the relevant immigration authority, and no one can honestly guarantee a visa. What we can promise is a frank reading of your case and the strongest, best-documented application we can build around it. Over the last 2-3 years, the applications we have handled have carried a 97% success rate.
Can my dependants work in the UK?
In most cases, yes. Partners and adult dependants of Skilled Worker and Health and Care Worker holders can work in almost any job (they cannot work as a professional sportsperson or coach). A partner on the family visa can also work and study. Dependants of eligible students can usually work too. The exception is a fiance(e), who cannot work until they have married and switched to the partner visa. Dependants cannot claim most public funds.
Can my children study in the UK?
Yes. Children who come as dependants can attend UK schools. State (government) schools are free, while private schools charge fees. Being able to keep children in education alongside the family is one of the main reasons families choose to move together.
Is there a minimum income requirement?
It depends on the route. If you are joining a British or settled partner on the family visa, the couple must usually show a combined income of at least GBP 29,000 a year (or meet it through savings, or qualify for an exemption). If you are joining a Skilled Worker or a student, there is no fixed salary threshold for you; instead you must show maintenance funds held in the bank for 28 days, and the amount depends on how many family members apply.